Chicken With Tausi

I love tausi (fermented black beans), not to eat them, but just to have them included in a dish. I usually skirt around them when eating. But the fragrance it exudes especially during cooking is really great. The aroma it imbibes to dishes for me are just so mouthwatering. It has that salty tangy smell and taste that it gives to meats and vegetables alike.

This is one of my favourites and it is adapted from the Chinese Cuisine cookbook by Huang Su-Huei. The saltiness of the tausi is enhanced by the spiciness of the garlic and balanced by the green bell peppers. Try it you'll like it.


Chicken with Black Beans

1 kg  chicken legs - chopped into bite-sized pieces

*Marinade:
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cooking wine
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

oil for frying
1 medium brown onion
2 Tbsp fermented black beans
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 green bell pepper - diced into 3/4-inch squares

*Mix for sauce:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
dash of sesame oil
1 cup water
1 Tbsp cornstarch

1. Mix chicken with marinade and set aside for about 20 minutes.
2. Heat wok then add oil; deep fry the chicken in 5 minutes, or until golden brown and meat is cooked. Remove and drain. Remove the oil from the wok.
3. Reheat the wok and then add 1 1/2 Tbsp oil. Stir-fry the brown onion until fragrant.
4. Add fermented black beans and minced garlic. As much as possible do not mix often by spatula at this point because this will mash the black beans and it will make the dish very salty. Try to mix it by just shaking the wok.
5. Add bell pepper and mix.
6. Add sauce and chicken to wok; cook for 2 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.